The present invention relates to connectors and, more particularly, to a through wall connector assembly that provides a substantially water-tight and air-tight connection through a wall.
It is often necessary to extend lines such as water, sewer and electrical conduit lines through the walls of a building and, in particular, basement walls or the structural wall just above the basement or foundation. A great deal of labor and expense is directed toward keeping the walls impervious to moisture and to reduce or prevent air infiltration. To accomplish this goal, the walls are normally covered with a vapor barrier and in the example of a basement wall, backfilled to direct water away from the basement wall. Additionally, drainage pipes, such as field tiles, are sometimes used to keep water away from basement walls. Special care is also taken to prevent unnecessary openings in the walls and to keep any necessary openings to a minimum.
Because of the need to extend water, sewer and electrical conduit lines into buildings, openings in the walls are required and these openings result in the possibility of ingress of moisture, outside air, and sometimes water. The openings are cut into the wood wall above the foundation or basement or into the basement wall. In poured concrete walls the openings are often made as the wall is being poured. The openings by necessity must be slightly larger than the line being extended through the opening. Many times, little care is taken in making the openings and this results in fairly large to gaping openings in the walls. Previous attempts to seal the excess space in the openings have not been entirely successful.